Let’s try this again. The Cleveland Cavaliers get another chance at the Minnesota Timberwolves, this time on their home floor.
We’re posting this a day early as tomorrow’s game is at 1 PM.
Alright, I’m not going to pile on Kenny Atkinson any more than we already have. Everyone has crushed him for the starting lineup that took the floor in Minnesota. Craig Porter Jr. just isn’t a good fit next to the core four. This is understood.
So there is no reason that the same unit should start again tomorrow, right? Right….?
The Cavs gave up 131 points to the Wolves last game. That’s the most points they’ve conceded to an opponent since the Charlotte Hornets scored 132 points against them on December 22nd.
At least Minnesota is a competent team.
But that doesn’t mean we should be happy giving up that many points. If there is one thing the Cavs can do better, it’s contesting three-point shooters. Their backline of defense was out of whack too many times in their first meeting.
Look for the Cavs to defend on a string. Are they rotating in unison? Or are they scrambling around aimlessly? That could make the difference tomorrow.
Now let’s focus on the other end of the floor.
Cleveland’s offense has looked clunky this season. There are only a handful of games where they swung the ball and scored at a rate that felt similar to last season. One of those stretches came on Thursday night when the Cavs torched Minnesota during the second quarter.
Let’s get back to that.
I want to see Jarrett Allen making plays in the pick-and-roll. That means Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland have to distribute the ball and find their bigs. That also means the guards have to shoot the ball efficiently, or else Minnesota will shrink the floor and take away the paint.
There’s a balance between attacking the basket and spacing the floor that has to be found. The Cavs are at their best when they achieve that.